Pregnancy, Insurance and "Specialists", Oh My!!

Okay, I made an "executive decision" and cancelled my appointment with the "Diabetic Counselor" this morning. Now don't get me wrong. I think that Gestational Diabetes should NOT be taken lightly, and I won't treat it as such... but as I recall (and keep in mind that this is baby #5 for me...) that my "numbers" have always been a little "high" but the previous doctor has always reassured me that it was not significant enough to be worried about... Keeping an eye on my blood pressure always seemed to be the greater concern, and THAT has been really good! I mean, even my current doctor told me that it wasn't too bad, and I should watch the sweets, increase my protein and walk more. Simple instructions, I can handle that, thanks, Doc! But THEN it was the Diabetic counselor that accosted me on my way out to "make an appointment" (Like I have time and babysitters for MORE appointments!) so that she could take an hour of my time to counsel me on diet and how to use the glucose monitoring machine... is all this REALLY necessary?? Are my numbers SO significant that it warrants pricking my fingers after EVERY meal? When I spoke with nurse friends AND a mid-wife friend of mine they all told me that the numbers didn't seem THAT significant... "watch your sweets, eat more protein and take a walk!" They all said it!!

On top of this, I was on the phone with the Doctors billing department this morning, as well, questioning WHY I was being charged for services that #1 I was told would be COVERED by some "State program". She told me that that was the charge for the "genetic counseling"!!! I told her that I didn't WANT that in the first place!! Tate it wasn't going to matter WHAT she told me in GC. The ONLY reason I agreed to it was because THEY (the doctors office) told me that because I had a "positive" result on my first trimester screen that I AUTOMATICALLY qualified for the "State Program" and the genetic counseling was part of it, so it was covered... Now they're telling me it's not and so I have to pay for it... gggrrrrr... I don't think so!! I won't take this quietly, that's for sure!!

I try to tell these people, look, this isn't my first 'rodeo'. I have 4 previous little blessings at home so it's not like I can just drop and go for every appointment that they think I need to see a specialist for. And because we live on ONE income, and we are a family of 6, soon to be 7, 20% is A LOT OF MONEY for us to contribute for these expenses that aren't going to change the fact that we are still going to have this baby!! See?! Feed my family, or pay 20% of a bill that isn't going to change anything, but only give me more information that I may or may not want to hear...? hhhmmmm....

*sigh* So, the billing girl that I spoke with FINALLY this morning (I've been trying to contact her for 2 weeks, leaving at least 3 messages that were never returned) told me that probably 85% of the time, insurance companies WON'T cover the cost of the diabetic counselors.. great! Sorry, Doc, I don' t mean to be an obstinate patient here, but I just can't do this anymore... too much "counseling" is making me nuts! I have 4 kids at home, I'm WAY pregnant and WAY hormonal. I homeschool, and trying to potty train a 2 year old, I run errands and try to keep my home as orderly as I can and I don't have time OR patience to measure and monitor food and machines... I feel fine, my weight has been fine, no significant weight gain.. in fact I've lost 4 lbs. since this latest "find" because they have made me absolutely paranoid about eating... I WILL watch the sweets and the carbs, and I WILL eat more protien and walk more. My blood pressure is better than it has been in a long time (116/66 last night) but I just can't do it anymore... I am down to my last few weeks of pregnancy. I just want to be left alone, honestly... I initially chose this new Doctor so that I could feel confident in having a specialist if needed, in the event that I had problems with my BP again, as has been my problem with the previous pregnancies... But enough is enough.... I'm going to trust God on this one... I still like my doctor tremendously, but it's all the "extra's" that want to get their hand in the pot, so to speak...

So, now I don't know about the insurance. They are a whole other confusing problem for me... I mean, our family is relatively healthy, thank you, Jesus! So we don't use our insurance a whole lot. We pay close to $600/month for insurance that covers most things 80/20% , with a $100 deductible per person per calender year. So, yeah, we pretty much pay for insurance we can't really afford to use... They initially told me that ALL maternity was covered 100%. Now they tell me that labs and x-rays are 100% up to $350, after which it goes to 80/20. AND the ultra sounds are being billed 80/20 because they are "major medical". "But", i tell them, "I wouldn't be getting an u/s if I wasn't pregnant!". "Well", they responded, "It's not notated under maternity, so that's why it falls under major medical..." THEN they told me, "Mrs. P, you will need to refer back to your information packet as to what is covered and how..."

Now, I don't know about you, but TALKING with the insurance people over the phone is confusing enough, but they it REALLY irritates me when they want to refer to the plan book!! Talk about TOTAL Greek!! Do they honestly think that regular "Jane Doe" can actually make heads or tails of that?? Please.... That's what I told the girl, and she giggled... she knew that the request was as dumb as it sounded... Unless you deal with this stuff all the time, it makes NO sense! And they change stuff all the time!! I thanked her for her time and told her that I had to stop for now. Anymore and my brain was literally going to explode... I'm not sure what I'm going to do, because I really don't want to take the word of my insurance that "this" amount is what i owe... I need to go back and see if I can get any of these other bills re-marked and re-sent as "maternity" so that the insurance will cover them... such a pain....

Okay, enough griping... there are people worse off in this world... and I think I need a nap... : )

Wow... It's ABOUT Time...

Well, I believe that Archbishop George H. Niederauer is relatively new to the San Francisco area, but in Nancy Pelosi's continual defiance of Church teaching, thankfully, he stood all he could stand and has requested to meet with her. This from the desk of Catholic League president Bill Donahue:

“San Francisco Archbishop Niederauer did not force this issue on Nancy
Pelosi—she forced it on him. His article is a cogent account of what the bishops
expect from Catholics in public life, spelling out in great detail how the
process works when dissidents like Pelosi continue in their obstinacy. The
Church regards abortion to be ‘intrinsically evil.’

“Four years ago, another Catholic dissident on this subject, New Jersey
Gov. James McGreevey, did the right thing by announcing that he would abide by
the Church’s strictures and no longer present himself for Communion. That is
exactly what Pelosi should have done. Instead, she chose to defy the teachings
of the Catholic Church, misrepresent them in public and continue to insist that
she is right. Thus has she beckoned her bishop to act. The ball is in her court."

I really have no idea, but wonder, is Dem. VP nominee Biden still presenting himself for communion?... Or is he just going to remain silently sneaking "under the radar" for now?...

Week 31 and Counting...

So, I had another check up with the Doctor this morning. My BP was a terrific 117/80. BUT!! Apparently my blood sugar levels from my 3 hour glucose test last Friday came back elevated... They were mostly concerned with my level # when i first went in "fasting". I guess that 'normal' is 90, and mine was 118. Then, after i drank the glucose drink and my one hour and 3 hour blood draws were also slightly elevated. The second hour draw was fine... weird, huh?...

"Emily, have you had problems with your blood sugar with your previous pregnancies?"

"nope. Just my blood pressure, which, oddly, seems to be very good!" *sigh*

SO! Now I have to meet with the diabetic counselor so that she can educate me on diet, etc, and show me how to use the monitor that they are going to send home with me for a couple of weeks to monitor my blood sugar levels. My Doctor, kind and sweet man that he is, tried to reassure me that this was probably just 'normal' due to my age and my body just not processing the sugar like it used to... He suggested that exercising, walking or swimming more each day could be enough to regulate it. I will try that, as I haven't been doing as much as i should, and could do more... The only other thing that I could think of that may be causing a problem is my increase in eating fruit, in order to keep things "moving" if you know what I mean! lol!! And during these summer months we have had an abundance of peaches, plums, nectarines, grapes and banana's from friends and family... And apple season is JUST around the corner!!

So now I go back in three weeks for another ultra sound to check and make sure that Sam isn't becoming "MONDO" Baby, and see the doctor again. I guess my biggest worry, now is that I will have a MONSTER size baby... #2 was my biggest, at a whopping 8 lbs... I have friends, though, that have gotten gestational diabetes and delivered 9.5 - 12lb.-r's!! YIKES!! Sure don't want that!! Can you believe that i'm down to the final 9 weeks?...

About Sarah Palin's 17 year old Daughter..

So, as expected, it didn't take long for something to emerge from the McCain-Palin ticket. We know how it goes in politics and there were many working on it fervently from the moment the announcement was made... Unfortunately, this particular information targets Sarah's oldest daughter, and at 17, I'm sure this can't be easy. God BLESS this family for the love and support they give one another in this campaign! As hard as this road will be for them, especially if elected, I believe that Sarah Palin was an answer to a lot of prayers from across this country for a conservative VP candidate. No doubt that this election and if elected, the Vice Presidency would be a great sacrifice to her family...

But! as Catholics and Christians we know that we AREN'T perfect. Only those who have traveled the hard road and are in heaven with our heavenly Father are perfect. Our Christianity and how committed we are to that which we "preach" is shown in our actions, though. "put up or shut up" or to put it more nicely, "practice what you preach"...

How Sarah and her family are handling this difficult situation with their oldest and unmarried daughter at the tender age of 17, so far has been a BEAUTIFUL example. The parents, though happy that their daughter has chosen to keep her unborn baby, they are realistic in their approach of the situation, and will love and support her, regardless. The words of Sarah Palin, herself say it best:

“We have been blessed with five wonderful children who we love with all our
heart and mean everything to us. Our beautiful daughter Bristol came to us with
news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever
planned. We’re proud of Bristol’s decision to have her baby and even prouder to
become grandparents. As Bristol faces the responsibilities of adulthood, she
knows she has our unconditional love and support.

“Bristol and the young man she will marry are going to realize very
quickly the difficulties of raising a child, which is why they will have the
love and support of our entire family. We ask the media to respect our daughter
and Levi’s privacy as has always been the tradition of children of
candidates.”

Quite a contrast to the words of Obama, last Spring when he crowed of having two daughters and how IF THEY made a "mistake" he would not want them "punished" with a baby, OR an STD... great... so NOW babies are a sexually transmitted diseases... *sigh*

If the Palin's daughter had chosen to go out and seek an abortion, THAT would have been a controversy... she did not, and for me, only shows all the more that they are "normal" in that they don't have "perfect" lives and have to live and deal with the same types of issues many of us as grandparents, parents, and siblings face all the time... God Bless them for that!

And as for the Obama camp, well, let them make their comments, etc... it won't be the first time that it comes back to bite them in the back side.

Wormy's Cousin from the North!

My sister and fellow homeschooling mom that lives about 4-5 hours North of here, has two boys the same ages as my #1 and #2. She saw my blog over the weekend and wrote to tell me that HER boys had found a pillar of their own! My boys are just so excited that their cousins found one like them and I thought is was a wonderful coincidence! The two pillars are quite similar but still different in their color markings. Both are supposed to "morph" into hummingbird moths... : ) According to what my sis was able to find, these worms can sometimes hibernate through the cold season and wait until spring to emerge. Her boys, as well as mine, are hoping that summer weather will hold out long enough for these guys to come out sooner rather than later! Time will tell!

Wormy Has Gone "down under"...

Three weeks ago this coming Sunday my 9 year old found a BIG green caterpillar in my mom's front yard near her rose bush. My boys have been looking for a REAL butterfly-changing caterpillar for years and they FINALLY lucked out! Anyway, we brought it home and stuck it in a big clear bug box with some leaves and have happily watched him crawling around and munching ever since. About a week ago I finally took the time to look it up on the computer to see if I could find out what kind of caterpillar it was and what it would turn in to. Sure enough we found JUST the one! (see above picture..) A white-lined Sphinx Hummingbird Moth. Cool, isn't it?...

So, we did some more looking and discovered that this particular 'pillar' as my oldest son calls it, doesn't become a butterfly, but a moth. A "Hummingbird" Moth. The name is obvious when you look at the end result... (see second picture...) Anyway, we learned that not only do they eat lots of leaves, but this particular worm will go underground to pupate, so we added a few inches of dirt to the container. Today, after #1 son went out and got fresh leaves for Wormy, we noticed it crawling around and round the circumference of the container and not really paying any attention to the new leaves. I told my son to leave the lid off, he couldn't get up the sides, anyway, and maybe it was too stuffy with the lid on (it was 106 degrees today... blech!) A few hours later he came to me and told me the "pillar' had escaped... and it was MY fault... oops...

A quick investigation proved what I had hoped REALLY had happened, which is that Wormy had decided it was 'time' and dug his way under ground. How exciting for us all! : ) And I was off the hook! lol! Now if I can just get the kids (especially the younger ones) to leave Wormy alone in his pupating slumber for the next couple of weeks until he emerges a beautiful moth... I'll keep ya posted!

FINALLY!! Something GOOD to Report from THIS Election!!

So, I got back from my 3 hour glucose test this morning just before my husband wandered in for lunch. Having pretty much JUST walked in myself, and checking in with what the kids had gotten done while I was gone I hadn't done much else when he asks, "Did you hear who 'your buddy' picked for a running mate?"...

"No. I just walked in... I heard that Romney and Lieberman were out... I didn't think he was going to announce until this weekend..." as I continued picking stuff up off the floor...

when he hesitated I stopped what I was doing and looked up at him... He TRIED to keep a straight face, "Al Gore..."

"very funny..." and I gave him 'the look' and went back to what I was doing...

Laughing he then didn't even get out "Alaska Gover..."

"YOU ARE KIDDING ME!!! I can't believe he had the guts to choose who I would have chosen!! OMYGOODNESS!!"

I had heard McCain say that he would choose a pro-life running mate but I was completely shocked with this one!! I am COMPLETELY ecstatic! I learned of Sarah Palin last Spring when I first read about her giving birth to their fifth son, who happens to have Downs. She had such a beautiful testament about the value of life and family, I was truly touched. She, for me, is TRULY a STRONG woman in EVERY sense of the word, including femininity, unlike Hillary... Strong, independent, convicted, yet loving, LIFE GIVING.... She's a mom... I can TOTALLY relate! : )

It is my opinion that this choice by McCain will either be a BRILLIANT victory, or basically bury him... God Bless him, though, because he made the RIGHT choice... He went all out there and did the right thing in choosing her... Now it is up to our Nation to choose if they want to continue on in this "culture of death" or TRULY make a "change" MUCH UNLIKE the "changes" that the "Obama-mites" are chanting about... This election is turning out to be better than I had anticipated... I'm actually a little excited about it now... : )

According to Obama, Fatherhood (but NOT Life) Begins at Conception

This is outrageous! And would be funny, if it weren't so sad.... Again, thanks to ProLifeBlogs for bringing this to my attention...

ANRTL Reveals Record Breaking Sign

Apparently, they chose a location near Lookout Mountain that would be easily seen by all of the DNC attendees to view their record breaking protest sign. First revealing the giant yellow letters vertically "D - N - C", and then revealing the rest of the letters built off of the original three. According to the American Right to Life:

Guinness assigned American Right To Life an official world record attempt
number: 228132. The protest sign weighs more than 2,700 pounds and was sewed
together with more than four miles of seams connecting 2,400 sheets and backpacked
onto location and unfurled by 44 letter carriers with spotters a mile away to
ensure proper letter placement. ARTL commits to removing the DNC Sheets Of Shame and
leaving the area cleaner than it had been.

In the way that God ALWAYS brings good from evil, you have to admit that He has done a wonderful job with this election... As scary and frustrating as it has been, it has definitely succeeded in bring the Right to LIFE to the forefront, again... And it's nice to see more and more Christian Soldiers stepping up to do battle... This sign is really cool....

This Reminder Brought to You By... 1Peter 2: 20-25

Sometimes it's TOO easy for me to feel sorry for myself. Right now I know people who suffer from MAJOR illnesses, have lost children or other loved ones in death, are out of work, are hungry, and other life sufferings... It's good to be reminded how BLESSED I really am... Thank you Jesus for Your MANY Blessings! Help me to be EVER grateful for the MANY Blessings you have bestowed on me!

"Beloved: If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this
is a grace before God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also
suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in His
footsteps.

He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth. when He was
insulted, He returned no insult; when He suffered, He did no threaten; instead,
He handed Himself over to the one who judges justly. He Himself bore our sins in
His body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for riteousness.
By HIS wounds you have been healed. For you have now returned to the Shepherd
and Guardian of your souls."

Amen and Amen....

USCCB respond to Pelosi's Mis-Representation

Praise the Lord! From the USCCB website:

Bishops respond to House Speaker Pelosi’s misrepresentation of Church teaching against abortion
WASHINGTON--Cardinal Justin F. Rigali, chairman of the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, and Bishop William E. Lori, chairman of the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on Doctrine, have issued the following statement: In the course of a “Meet the Press” interview on abortion and other public issues on August 24, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi misrepresented the history and nature of the authentic teaching of the Catholic Church against abortion. In fact, the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, "Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law." (No. 2271) In the Middle Ages, uninformed and inadequate theories about embryology led some theologians to speculate that specifically human life capable of receiving an immortal soul may not exist until a few weeks into pregnancy. While in canon law these theories led to a distinction in penalties between very early and later abortions, the Church’s moral teaching never justified or permitted abortion at any stage of development. These mistaken biological theories became obsolete over 150 years ago when scientists discovered that a new human individual comes into being from the union of sperm and egg at fertilization. In keeping with this modern understanding, the Church teaches that from the time of conception (fertilization), each member of the human species must be given the full respect due to a human person, beginning with respect for the fundamental right to life.
***************************
I am THRILLED that they made a stand AND a PUBLIC statement! : ) Do you think Nancy is listening?... I know we need to pray for her...

Now This... You Probably Want to Watch this on an EMPTY Stomach...

I get annoyed enough with the pro-death fanatics with their grumbling about the "mean and nasty anti-aborts" aka: "PRO-LIFE people", yet how loving and caring they are for standing up and speaking for "women's Rights" (because an unborn baby, apparently has NO rights, and according to Pelosi and her "like-thinkers" unborn babies aren't people at all...) but those who claim *their* version of Catholicism PROUDLY, and then turn around and speak "authoritatively" about what THE CHURCH teaches, or how the CHURCH is "wishy-washy" or "unclear" about it's stance on certain things, like, ummm... oh, I don't know, like WHEN LIFE BEGINS!!!??? I get REALLY annoyed... Has anyone heard the LATEST load of garbage spewing from Nancy Pelosi's mouth?... I have to admit, I can't even watch her pretty much most of the time... if it hadn't been for Pro-life Blogs bringing this to my attention...

Okay, first This...

It's Monday, and as usual, I have a full plate, including school, but there were a couple of things that I came across this weekend that I wanted to share. First this BEAUTIFUL video shared with me of a computer animated growth of a human fetus. The narration is in French, but no matter... it's cool, all the same... It is truly AMAZING how God has designed us! Enjoy!

We Survived!

We have officially finished our first week of "back to school"! Yippee!! All went well, and fairly smooth... but I know that it will get rockier in time... #1 son has started Jr. High and his Algebra book is already looking a little overwhelming to me... The sad part is, is that I majored in Elementary Education, and I actually took a class on TEACHING algebra! lol!! But, hey, that was AT LEAST 18 years ago!! So, I sort of have an excuse... : ) Time will tell... I found a program that lets me print out pages to help him take notes on the chapters and then has step by step practice pages and puzzle worksheets to help keep him interested and focused.

#2 son seems to be making leaps and bounds in the reading and writing department and we only had one or two "melt downs" ("I CAN'T DO THIS!!! THIS IS HHHAAAAAAAARRRRDDDDD!!!) this week : ) He has a hard time sitting still and focusing and is delayed in his reading, but as I was hoping, as he matures, he seems to be able to catch on a little quicker than he used to, and sooner or later it will all just sort of "click" and he'll take off... I am also learning to "make" him do more on his own, so that he's not so dependant on me to help him out so much... it's a fine line sometimes, and hard to determine...

#3 continues to do well, as I sometimes stop and wonder how she would be in a regular classroom. Her knack at being a "social butterfly" makes me think that she would be spending WAY MORE TIME "visiting" than learning... She seems to be a natural for reading and enjoys writing... so different from my boys... she's SUCH a girl... : ) But she is doing very well...

And #4 decided that today would be an uncooperative day... : ] Yesterday, from the very start she decided that she was going to wear her "chonies" and was using the potty pretty well until late afternoon. For some reason she grows weary of the efforts in the late afternoon and really just doesn't care anymore about staying dry... But today, she was ready after she got up to put on her big girl chonies only to turn around and wet not one, but four pair by lunch... And THAT was with the reminding AND the physically taking her to the bathroom and setting her on the potty to go at regular intervals. She'd promptly get off and go pee in her pants... *sigh* I slapped a diaper on her and called it a day....

And NOW?? Wouldn't you KNOW it?? As I type this my #1 son, moments ago says, "I smell poop..." I said, "well, is #4 still wearing her diaper?"

"Nope. Here it is. I'll check it... nope, not in her diaper..." (she is in the habit of removing, or at least trying to remove a stinky diaper as soon as she's done with it...)We start to scramble in search of... only to find LOW AND BEHOLD! She had gone to her potty chair in the hall outside the bathroom door and pooped all on her own! Woohoo!! she apparently knew I was typing about her... lol...

After much festivity and fanfare and wiping fannies, she happily marched away, only to pee on the floor in the hallway moments later while brother was rinsing out her potty chair... *sigh* it's a work in progress... : ] I still have time before Sam arrives... Please pass the carpet cleaner/refresher...

You Are My God...

Late this afternoon I was starting to feel especially grumpy... Not really sure of why, exactly... a combination of feelings, circumstances, hormones... But one of those days when the tears just sort of well up in the back of your eyeballs waiting to burst forth at the first opportunity that someone looks at you cross-eyed...

Anyway, then I found this in my email from a good friend and CONSTANT prayer warrior for me and my family... It couldn't have come at a better time... Those tears came, but not in a bad way, as they could have... Just a reminder from my Creator that He is still here with me and will take my burdened yoke in exchange for His that is easy, and light... Thank you, Jesus!

If I'm not mistaken, the writer and performer, Tony Melendez is the same person that I saw on his debut, at a youth day with Pope John Paul II in 1986, at the Universal Studios Theatre in Los Angelas. I was a young, single college student, then, but I will never forget that day. You see, in case you don't know, Tony has no arms, and there he sat in complete humbleness before our Papa, playing his guitar with his feet and singing his heart out for him, for God and for all of us there lucky enough to witness the moment... Even better, I was only about 8 rows from the stage where I could see JPII VERY well and the expression on his face, how touched he was... When i saw that this was one of Tony's songs, it made the music and video that much more special to me... Enjoy...